The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-30
RESULT OF THE W.R.C. WAR
Mrs. Wulschner's Department Is Recog-
nized by the National Convention.
And the Delegates from This City NotWith-
standing the Opposition of the President,
Are Admitted as Members of the Body.

The following special dispatch from st. Louis
was received by the Journal last night:
The Womans' Relief Corps Department of Tndi-
saa, of which Miss Flora Wulschner is President.
BIAS been recognized by the National convention.
,r secretary and Adelia New delegate large. were
admitted as voting members and the work OF the de-
bartment legalized.
The recognition Of the department was great
urprise evon to the members of the relief corps
themselves, while the supporters Of Mrs.
Wulschner's organization felt that they were in
ne right In the long and bitter fight between
The two factions of the State. They went to
81. Louis rather expecting defeat, because of
The known hostility of Mrs. Elizabeth ID. Kline.
President Of the National Association. Still,
here was some hope for success until the
bitter attack of Mrs. Kline on Mrs. Wulschner's
division made in her annual address was read in.
The papers yesterday morning. The address
dealt at length with the troubles that have
arisen In the department in this State, and con-
dsmned in the strongest language the faction
headed by Mrs wulschner. The great objection
to the faction was that it deviated from all
other corps OF the country by holding that Sell
gibility to membership is based upon ladyship
and relationship by Antecedent on war record to
the Union veterans The stand taken by Mrs.
Kline and tho opposing faction in this State, of
which Mrs Laura Gosse, of South Bend, Is
president, is that the Nom bership should be
ppen to all. After reading the re-
marks of Mrs. Kline, the supporters of
had begun to discuss plans for carrying
Pm the charitable work of their organization
independents body, when they received
the first intelligence that the convention had
sustained them The first information came in
telegram TO Mrs Wulschner from Miss l.. May
Wheeler. who has been leading the fight at st:
Louis. 1t barely stated that indianapolis had
sriumphed, and so unwilling was the president
10 believe that such was the case that further in
puiry was made by telegraph. and the news con-
hrmed by telegram setting forth the facts more
fully. Mrs. WulHchner was seen by a journal
reporter at her home, No. 40 North Meridian
street, last night, but she was not disposed to
talk much about the victory on account of the
fevere illness of her son, over whom she Is
watching '"Itis certainly glory enough for
day." said she. Il can hardly believe that it is
brue, but it must be. The women who went
from Indianapolis to battle for our rights have,
no doubt, had hard fight, and they deserve
great deal Of credit We went to the
convention with ali the advantages against
ms. The president was openly and
bitterly opposed to us. and no doubt did all she
could to keep us from being recognized. But we
went there with a record for work done that has
never been equaled, and that would surely be
great argument in our favor. 1t is certainly
gratifying TO know that our course has been in
dorsed, and now we will be ready to do even
more and better work than ever before"
The reporter next called upon Mrs. Irwin Rob
bins, of the most active workers in the corps.
At her home. on North street. were found score
Of Grand Army men and their wives, of the w.
H. c., rejoicing over the unexpected good news.
j. M. Parer and wife, who left St. Louis yester-
day forenoon were present, and related to the
gathering what stubborn fight the Indiana
delegation made for recognition. Mr.. Parer
said that there seemed to be organized effort
made to freeze the Indianapolis faction out, but
with the able representatives that were present.
and the splendid exhibit of work accomplished
since the faction began work. he before he
left there that it WAS making friends among the
more thoughtful delegates from other States.
Il always believed that when cause
rightly presented that we would be upheld"
said Mrs. Irwin Robbins. 1.-THE reason we have
always been severely condemned was because
we were misrepresented to the delegates
pointed to the convention from all parts of the
United States. Our enemies have been busy
for months poisoning the minds of Mrs. Kline,
the national president and the delegates of
other States. We could not afford to follow up
all these attacks with corrections, and did not.
While our enemies were plotting against
were at work making record to take with US
TO st. Louis and we made it. / believe that it
was solely upon record that we won. No
other department of the United States has done
much good work as the division of which Mrs.
Wulschner 10 president. Since last June
she and her assistants have instituted
thirty new posts, while the opposing faction
Mt South Bend. of which Mrs. Gossett is presi-
dent. mas established but two new corps. In
fact Mrs. Wulschners department has usurped
hearty all the work In Indiana. and under the
circumstances it would have been ruiHous the
cause in Indiana to have recognized the South
Bend faction. Under these circumstances.
think it is time for great rejoicing, and the
members OF both the w. r. G. and G. A r. of
Indiana will rejoice over the wise action of the
st. Louis convention"
The meeting at Mrs. Robbins's before ad-
journing. decided to prepare for grand jollif
cation meeting upon the return Of the Indiana
delegation from St Louis. They are expected
home Saturday evening. but the meeting will
probably not be held until the first of the week.
The fight that was settled by the action of
the St Louis convention has been attracting
attention all over the United States for several
months. For moro than year there have been
differences of opinion oetween the Indianapolis
branch OF the W. r. c. nd some Of the corps
outside the capital, notably the one at South
Bend. 1t has hNen the custom for the State
convention of the w. X. G. to meet at the same
time and place as the department epcampment
of the G.. A. R.. but last year the State presi-
dent, Mrs. Griffin. refused to convene the assem-
bly, in this city, according to the wishes of
majority of the delegates of the State. Notwith-
standing her refusal to call the convention,
about two-thirds Of the delegates were here r
con junction with the G.. A. r. Of the State and
organized by electing Mrs. Wuschner president
The action of the independent movement was
Endorsed by this O.. A. K eDcampmeut. but dis
regarding this. Mrs Griffin held her convention
1T South Bend, which elected Mrs. Gossett